Research Overview

Research within the Piertney-Lab focuses on the interplay between evolutionary and ecological dynamics in natural populations. From an eco-to-evo perspective, I examine how different ecological, environmental and behavioural processes drive microevolution, adaptation and speciation. Then from an evo-to-eco perspective, I link how genetic diversity affects individual fitness, population dynamics, ecosystem function and population persistence.

Studies have either a gene-centric focus, examining candidate genes of known ecological importance and adaptive significance (e.g. MHC, MC1R, IFN), or exploit next-generation 'omics technologies to gain a more holistic understanding of adaptation and genome-wide responses to environmental and ecological change.

Current Research

• Piezophilic adaptation in deep-ocean amphipods (NERC).
• The genomic landscape of speciation and adaptive variation in the intertidal isopod Jaera albifrons (NERC).
• Emergence, spread and persistence of maine invasive non-native species (with Marine Scotland Science, and South Atlantic Environment Research Institute).
• Genome-wide responses to demographic perturbation in insular populations of water voles (BBSRC)
• PolyExESS - Extreme environment simulation system for experimental evolution (NERC).
• The ecology, evolution and epidemiology of zoonotic pathogens in fragmented multi-host populations (BBSRC).
• The epigenomic landscape of maternal effects in the soil mite Sancassania berlesei (NERC).